Car-brake.



Patented Dec. 5, I899. L. L. LOGAN.

CAR BRAKE (Application filed Apr. 19, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAVALETTE LOGAN, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,639, dated December 1899.

Application filed April 19, 1899. Serial No- 713 ,595. (No model.)

T0 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LAVALETTE L. LOGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oar-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-brakes of a character more especially adapted for use on mine-cars and similar vehicles; and it consists in a brake mechanism comprising a pair of toggle-levers, pivotally supported at their jointed inner ends between the forward and rear car-wheels and shiftably supported at their outer ends, and wheel-engaging brake devices intermediate the ends of said levers and controlled thereby to be engaged with the wheel-rims or released therefrom, as required.

The invention further consists in features of construction and novel combinations of parts in a car or vehicle brake, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a View of a mine-car, showing one application of my improved brake wherein the toggle-levers or brake-arms are slidingly supported at their outer ends on the car-wheel axles to operate radially. Fig. 2 is a view of a pair of swinging brake-shoes that are to be pivotally suspended independent of the toggle-levers or brake-arms in position to be carried against the wheel-rims by means of. said toggle-levers or brake-arms. Fig. 3 is a'view of a pair of brake-arms or toggle-levers. Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating a modification whereby the outer ends of the toggle-levers may be shiftably supported ecoentrically to the wheel-axles. Fig. 5 is a plan of a toggle-lever slightly modified for use at the inner side of a car-wheel. Fig. 6 shows a modified application of theinven tion, in which a radial brake-arm or lever is constructed and arranged to have a sliding or telescopic engagement with a radial projection or supporting-arm provided on the wheelaxle. Fig. 7 is a plan of the modified form of radial brake-arm or lever and the slidinglyengaged supporting-arm at the outer end of said lever. Fig. 8 is a detail view illustrating a modification of the invention in which the outer shiftably-supported end of the brakearm or toggle-lever is provided with a tongue carmounted on the axles of four wheels 2,

preferably arranged for the application of brakes between the forward and rear wheels of each side.

A main brake-operating lever 3, Fig. 1, may be arranged on each side of the car, one end being fulcrumed to a bracket 4, secured to the side of the car near or toward its forward end. The levers 3 on opposite sides of the car may be connected at their rear ends with any convenient hand-lever 5, for which a suitable lock or ratchet may be provided.

From each lever 3 there is pivotally suspended a depending link 6 at a point above and between the car-wheels. The lower end of this link 6 is constructed for the pivotal attachment of a pair of toggle-levers or brakearms 7, Figs. 1 and 3. The jointed inner ends of these arms or levers 7 have a pivotal connection with each other and with the lower end of the depending link 6, and provision'is made for shiftable support of the outer ends of said levers, as hereinafter described. These toggle-levers or brake-arms 7 are preferably bifurcated at the ends which are pivoted to the link 6, and one side of each lever is pro vided with an offset or shoulder 8, located intermediate the ends of the lever, preferably at the base of the laterally widened and bifurcated lever end. This olfsetting shoulder 8 may be made sufficientlybroad and heavy to serve, if desired, as a brake appliance or shoe for direct engagement with a wheel-rim in order to effect a desired braking action. In some cases, however, I may employ the shoulders 8 of the levers or arms 7 as a means material.

depending pivotally-suspended brake-shoes 9 may each have a curvature suited to eifecting a proper braking engagement with the rim of the car-wheel, and, if desired, the bodyportion of each shoe may be provided with a renewable wear-surface 10 of Wood or other It will be obvious that by operating the lever 3 in the proper direction the shoulders 8 of the pivotally-suspended togglelevers or brake-arms 7 will be made to forcibly bear against and carry the independentlysuspended brake-shoes 9 into braking engagement with the rims of the car-wheels. \Vhen the brake-levers are thrown off, the shoes will swing clear of the wheel-rims.

As a means for shiftably supporting the outer ends of the toggle-levers or brake-arms 7, each of these levers or arms may be provided in its outer end with a sufficiently wide and elongated slot 11, Figs. 1 and 3, the ends of which are preferably concaved or rounded to correspond with the peripheral curvature of the axle-spindle 12, on which the said slotted ends of the levers 7 can thus be loosely supported in the manner described in my application, Serial No. 694,122, filed October 20, 1898.

Instead of shiftably supporting the outer ends of the toggle-levers or brake-arms 7 on the wheel-axles 12 and radially thereto they may be supported eccentrically to the wheelaxles, as described in my application, Serial No. 696,929, filed November 19, 1898, by engaging the lever-slot 11 with a fulcrum-pin 13, that is supported by a bracket or guard 14, Fig. 4, secured to the car at asuitable point. As shown in Fig. 5, each toggle-lever 7 may be constructed with a recess 15 to clear the wheel-rim when the levers or brake-arms 7 are to be mounted at the inner sides of the carwheels.

In Figs. 6, 7, and 8 I have illustrated some other means for shift-ably supporting the outer ends of the brake-arms or levers, as by a telescopic connection comprising a socket or recess in one part to receive a tongue or projection on the other part, in the manner described in my application, Serial No. 705,307, filed February 11, 1899. Thus, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the outer ends of the brake-arms or levers 7 may be supported from the wheelaxles and in sliding relation therewith by providing a socket 16 in the outer portion of each brake-arm to receive a supporting arm or projection 17, that is provided on each wheelbrake-arm or lever 7 is provided at its outer end with a tongue or projection 21 to pass through a socket 22 formed diagonally through the axle 12 or other support. A pin or cotter 23 may be inserted through the outer end portion of the tongue 21 to limit the movement of the brake-arms or levers in such mannerthat the braking-surfaces will have an equal degree of movement on releasing the brake.

If desired, the brake mechanism can be put on but one side of the car, and the brake-arms or levers 7 may be extended along either the inner or outer sides of the car-wheels, as pre-- ferred. It will be observed that with the in dependent brake-shoes 9 suspended between the wheel-rims and.the shoulders 8 of the brake-arms or levers there can be no twist of said levers or brake-arms in applying the brakes, and therefore the said arms or levers can be made comparatively light. The lower ends of the independently-suspended brakeshoes 9 may be extended downward any distance desired, but need not be below the plane of the car-axles, and therefore they will not be injured in case the car should be derailed. If it should bepreferred to dispense with the independently-suspended shoes 9, they can be readily detached, and then the shoulders 8 of the brake-arms or levers 7 will afiord adequate braking-surfaces for contact with the rims of the car-wheels.

WhatI claim as my invention is-- 1. In a car-brake, the combination of a pair of brake-arms or toggle-levers pivotally supported at their jointed inner ends between the forward and rear car-wheels and having their outer end portions extended along the sides of said car-wheels, means for shiftably supporting the said extended outer ends of said brake-arms or toggle-levers, wheel-engaging brake devices intermediate the ends of said arms or levers, and mechanism for operating said arms or levers, substantially as described.

2. In a car-brake, the combination of a pair of brake-arms or toggle-levers pivotally sup ported at their jointed inner ends between the forward and rear car-wheels and shiftabl-y supported at their outer ends, each of said arms or levers being provided intermediate its ends with a laterally-projecting shoulder, independently-suspended brake-shoes depending between the. wheel-rims and the shoulders on said arms or levers, and meansfor operating said arms or levers, substantially as described.

3. In a car-brake, the combination ofa main operating-lever fulcrumed at the. side of the car, a link pivotally suspended from said main lever, a pair of brake-arms or togglelevers pivotally suspended at their jointed inner ends from said link and having their outer end portions extended along the sides of the forward and rear car-wheels, respectively, means for. shiftably supporting the said extended outer ends of said brake-arms or toggle-levers, and wheel-engaging brake devices intermediate the ends of said brake- 1 its ends with a laterally-projecting shoulder,

arms or toggle-levers, substantially as described.

4. In a oar-brake, the combination of a pair of brake-arms or toggle-levers pivotally supported at their jointed inner ends between and a main lever for operating said brakearms or toggle-levers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witthe forward and rear car-wheels and having nesses.

their outer end portions extended alon the sides of said car-wheels, means for shif tably LAVALETFZPE LOGAN supporting the said extended outer ends of WVitnesses:

said brake-arms or toggle-levers, each of said O. A. CRANDALL, arms or leversbeing provided intermediate DALBYS L. FIoKEs. 

